Civil War Breaks Out In Tripoli

Looks like Gaddafi’s promise that civil war will never break out while he is alive, has just been broken: “Forces loyal to Col Muammar Gaddafi made good on threats to trigger a civil war in Libya on Wednesday night, by taking up positions across the capital, Tripoli and launching a rearguard fight against rebels in major cities. Residents of parts of the capital were trapped in their homes as “thousands” of soldiers patrolled the streets accompanied by African mercenaries. Tanks took up positions around public buildings including government offices, while sandbag defences were also being built. “We will fight until death,” a pro-Gaddafi soldier in his early 20s said outside a military compound close to Tripoli’s Green Square, which had been cleared of demonstrators by yesterday morning. “The country needs stability at a time like this, and this is what we are providing. The people are on our side.” Next Gaddafi promise to be broken: “I won’t burn Libya’s oil.”

The Telegraph on what can only be described as a preemptive civil war:

“Anywhere we go there is danger,” said one woman, a 28-year-old mother of four who asked not to be named. “All we want is food and fresh water for our children but it is impossible to find. Security is the only concern of the authorities.”

As ministers, generals and diplomats around the world defected, government spokesmen loyal to Col Gaddafi were trying to rally people to his side.

Col Gaddafi signalled a fightback in a speech on Tuesday, when he called on supporters to “chase away the rats and terrorists” who he said were plunging the country into civil war.

Ahmed al-Zuwi, secretary general of the People’s Committees, the leading authorities, said the government was in control.

He blamed the unrest on the Gulf state of Qatar, which he said had ordered al-Jazeera, the television station owned by its royal family, to “spread lies” as part of a trade dispute.

General Jameel al-Kadiki, deputy commander of the air force, denied that his jets had bombed civilians but said they had been forced to prevent opponents “meddling” with military supplies and “using them against the Libyan people”.

Later, the deputy foreign minister, Khaled Khaim, summoned EU ambassadors to claim that al-Qaeda had set up a base in the city of Darnah, under rebel control for several days. The cell was headed by a former inmate of Guantanamo Bay, he said.